PUTRAJAYA: The issue of economy among the bumiputra will be addressed without any political bias, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“We are not biased towards anyone when it comes to the economy of the bumiputra,” said the Deputy Prime Minister when commenting on the planned three-day Bumiputera Economy Congress from Feb 29 to March 2.
Some 3,000 participants are to attend the congress at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).
Ahmad Zahid, when asked if the event would be open to all, said it would involve the Malay Chambers of Commerce including those representing the Iban and Dayak from Sarawak.
“There will also be a cluster on Sarawak and Sabah which will form an important component of the recommendations,” he told reporters after a pre-launch of the event by the Prime Minister yesterday.
Representatives from the Orang Asli community will also be among those involved with the congress, he added.
Ahmad Zahid said 10 sectors would be discussed during the congress with recommendations and resolutions to be presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Spotlight on economy: Anwar (centre) officiating at the pre-launch of the Bumiputera Economy Congress in Putrajaya. With him are (from left) Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, Ahmad Zahid, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and secretary-general of the Economy Ministry Datuk Nor Azmie Diron. — Bernama
He said the congress would focus, among other things, on new technologies that are expected to be developed by the next decade.
It would also look at the performances of agencies that were set up and entrusted to champion the bumiputra agenda since the first congress was held in 1965.
Other BEC were held in 1980, 1992, 2010 and 2020.
Earlier, Anwar launched the congress logo and theme “Positive, Progressive, Innovative”.
Last September, Anwar told Parliament that bumiputra empowerment would be shifted from focusing on selected companies and would involve more entrepreneurs and small and medium scale bumiputra firms.
He said previous empowerment agenda placed emphasis on bumiputra participation in the economy based solely on equity ownership, but its has yet to achieve the 30% ownership despite five decades of efforts.
Anwar will close the event on March 2.
